The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2394, named after Sgt. Harold O. Young Post, has been in Melrose for over 75 years. The main entrance is on Chipman Ave., but additional parking and entrances are available behind the Post on Marvin Rd., across from the MBTA Melrose Highlands commuter rail stop.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, with its auxiliaries, include 2.2 million members in approximately 8,100 posts worldwide. Its mission is to "honor the dead by helping the living" through veterans service, community service, national security and a strong national defense.
The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service, as many soldiers arrived home wounded or sick, and there was no medical care or veterans pension for them.